Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Re-Elects Incumbent Leadership Team

Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Re-Elects Incumbent Leadership Team

Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Re-Elects Incumbent Leadership Team

Mon Mar 4, 2013 4:38pm EST

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styleSANTA YNEZ, Calif., March 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribal members of the SantaYnez Band of Chumash Indians re-elected Vincent Armenta as their TribalChairman and also re-elected the incumbent members of the tribal leadershipteam, known as the Business Committee. The tribe holds an election for itsTribal Chairman and Business Committee every two years.

"I'm pleased that our membership voted for the same team to continue to lead ourtribal nation," said Chairman Armenta. "Although we have made significantprogress as a tribe, we still have much to accomplish and I'm looking forward toour team continuing to build on our solid foundation."

Entering his 14th year as a Tribal Chairman, Chairman Armenta has led his tribefrom relative obscurity to being one of the most successful tribes in the state.The tribe's main business enterprise - the Chumash Casino Resort - is a popularentertainment destination that attracts thousands of visitors to the region on aregular basis.

Incumbent Business Committee members David Dominguez,Richard Gomez, KennethKahn and Gary Pace were also re-elected in the tribal election last week.

Gomez, who has been involved in tribal politics for decades, was re-elected tohis ninth consecutive term on the tribe's leadership team. Kahn and Pace wereboth elected to their sixth terms. Dominguez, who served as Tribal Chairman fornearly a decade in the 1990s, was re-elected to his fifth term as a BusinessCommittee member.

"I am honored to continue to serve my fellow tribal members," said Gomez, whohas served as Vice Chairman. "Over the years my fellow Business Committeemembers and I have listened to our tribal membership and provided for theirneeds. I'm glad they continue to recognize and appreciate our leadershipabilities."

Kahn, who has served as the Secretary/Treasurer on the Business Committee, saidhe is excited about the future. "We have many exciting opportunities to exploreand I'm looking forward to helping our tribe make decisions that will benefitthe future of the entire membership."

Dominguez was pleased that he was re-elected once again. "I still have a lot tocontribute to our tribe and am happy that I have an opportunity to continue todemonstrate my commitment to our membership," he said.

Pace was first elected to serve on the Business Committee in 2004 and hasdedicated his time to advancing the tribe. "From cultural preservation projectsto expanding the tribe's real estate portfolio, we have worked diligently toensure the tribe's continued success," he said.

The tribe's Chairman and Business Committee are responsible for establishingpolicies and overseeing the legal and business affairs of the tribe, while providing for the economic well-being of its members. The Business Committeemust obtain approval from the tribal membership of the Santa Ynez Band of

Chumash Indians for issues regarding managing and directing tribal revenue.

Tribal members nominated candidates for Tribal Chairman and Business Committeein the tribe's monthly general council meeting in February. Ballots were mailedto eligible voting tribal members (21 years of age and older) and members werealso given the option of voting in person on March 1 at the Tribal Hall.

In addition to owning and operating the Chumash Casino Resort on the tribe'sreservation, the tribe also owns Hotel Corque, Root 246 and the Hadsten House in Solvang and two gas stations in Santa Ynez. As the largest employer in theSanta Ynez Valley, the tribe employs more than 1,700 residents of Santa BarbaraCounty.

SOURCE SantaYnez Band of Chumash Indians

Hildy Medina, +1-805-325-1070, , or Frances Snyder,

+1-805-325-1187,